Unusual / Interesting names

Abyssinia is the ancient name of the Ethiopian Empire, no longer found on any map but with a possible future as a melodic girls' name in the ever-expanding place-name category. Among African names for girls, this one is undiscovered.

Luxurious and distinctive, with a biblical bacground--although in the Good Book,Adalia is a male.

Name of the French town where a vision of the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared, this name, virtually unknown elsewhere, is in the Spanish Top 100.

Aitana is the name of a Spanish mountain used by the poet Rafael Alberti for his daughter. He reportedly chose it because the mountain was his last glimpse of Spain when he went into exile after the Spanish Civil War. The name was popularized by Aitana Alberti's goddaughter and namesake, actress Aitana Sanchez-Gijan. It became one of the fastest-rising girls names in 2016, after entering the US Top 1000 in 2015, and is among the most popular Spanish names for girls in its native Spain and beyond.

Aiyana is a name that could easily cross cultures. It debuted on the US Top 1000 in 1999 and hovers near the bottom of the Top 1000.

Fashion designer surname that could make a dynamic first.

Aleph came into the spotlight when chosen by Israel-born Natalie Portman for her son. Alef is a more common spelling of these related Hebrew baby names.

While this name came into being in the Victorian era as a nickname for a man with whiskers, the name was quickly embraced as a true name by the Victorians and is likely most familiar to you as the name of Oscar Wilde's fabulous character in The Importance of being Earnest . However, Algernon is not confined to the fictional world of satire; many real world namesakes exist including US footballer Algernon Crumpler (aka Alge Crumpler), British impressionist painter Algernon Talmage, and Canadian astrophysicist Joseph Algernon Pearce, who discovered many thinks about the Milky Way. Plus, who can go past the adorable nickname Algie?

Also seen as Alyenor and Eleonore, this is an old French name dating back to the Arthurian romances and still heard today.

Allaire, a last name in France. could make a first, with its light and airy feel.

Inventive female form of Aloysius.

A Spanish TV show made this one popular, along with single-named Mexican singer, Alondra.

This name is a classic example of an underused golden oldie that ticks so many boxes - unusual yet traditional, heaps of cute nicknames, a statement name that exudes retro cool. Aloysius is the Latin form of many more common names like Louis, Luis, Luigi and the uncommon but symphonically familiar Ludwig.

Altalune is an invention used by Uma Thurman and Arpad Busson as one of several middle names for their daughter, its Latin meaning roughly translated as "over the moon." Celebrity baby Altalune will be called the more familiar Luna for short.

Althea is a poetic, almost ethereal name found in Greek myth and pastoral poetry, associated in modern times with the great tennis player Althea Gibson, the first African-American to win at Wimbledon.

Softer, milder, and sans chipmunk references, Alwin is a likable alternative to Alvin. Win makes a nice nickname.

Rarely heard outside the Slavic community.

Amadea is a strong and musical feminine form of Amadeus, as in Mozart.